Monday, February 01, 2010

CUSCO AND NATURAL PHENOMENA

For 15 days intense rains, floods of populated areas, of agricultural fields, destruction of highways, bridges, houses, strong sea waves, death of animals and human, ceasing of tourist’s flows, economic breaks and until some seismic movements, maintain in psycho stress the Peruvian departments of Cusco, Puno, Apurimac, Tumbes, Ancash and others. Although it is clear that torrential rains have been caused by the heating of the surface of the usually cold Peruvian coastal sea, it is not known if the phenomenon is consequence of global heating or due to El Niño Phenomenon [ENSO (1): El Niño Southern Oscillation], of weak to moderate grade (2). Economic evaluations based on material damages and lost job positions, carried out for official of the regional governments of affected areas, estimate the losses in 1000 million dollars and thrice if the rains continue until March (4). Considering the ENSO like a cyclic phenomenon that happens with weak-moderate intensity every 3-4 years (since 11000 years) and of great intensity every 50 years, would be that accumulated losses during 100 years, would 100 000 million dollars

Then why not to invest?, let us to say 5000 million dollars in building preventively coastal, riverside, lacustrine dikes and efficient drainage systems in areas of peruvian high risk. The seismologist Julio Kiroiwua (3) that has directed the elaboration of maps to build peruvian viable cities sustains that the biggest error is to build cities urged by economic benefits but that for the necessity of living in harmony with the nature. To learn of the Incas that built cities in high areas in bizarre geographical areas, far from potential rivers flows and of riversides. They didn't favor the establishment of populations in bottom areas. The maps elaborated under the conduction of Kuroiwa contain studies of humidity and rock consistency of the floors. Iroiwa emphasizes reinforcement of columns, roofs and walls of houses. Also to endow to the cities of enough evacuation roads. We hope that the next Scientific Encounters of Summer or Winter (ECI), be devoted at least 2 whole days to listen proposals to solve or to palliate this problem overwhelmingly.